Metal-expanding machine



E. T. REDDING METAL EXPANDING MACHINE Filed July :50. 1921 2 sheets-sheen June 8 1926.

a 2 5/ a; If I 28, I ,6 l2

June 8 'E. T. REDDING METAL EXPANDING MACHINE Filed July 30, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet I1"; minim-11mm Patented June 55,

EDWARD T. REDDING, O3? SWISSVALE. PENNSYLVANIA, AEESIGIQOR T EXPANDED METAL GOIVE'EANIES,

[a CORPORATIGH G11 IEEFNSYLVANEA.

METAL-EXPANDING: lvIACI-TINE.

Application filed July 30, 1921.

My invention relates to metal expanding machines and the like such as are used in making expanded metal mesh or lathing, and more especially to the feeding of sheet material to the shearing or expanding mechanisn'i of such machines. I aim to facilitate this feeding in of the material, and to make it more accurate and more readily controlled, and also to minimize the labor required. How these and other advantages can be attained through my invention will appear from my description hereinafter of the best embodiment of the invention at present known to me.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view illustrating the feeding of sheet material to a metal shearing and expanding; machine in accordance with my invention, only a portion of the machine, comprising the essential parts of its shearing and expanding mechanism, being shown.

Fig. 2 is a corresponding side elevation, certain parts of the machine appearing in section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view, on a larger scale, showing a cross-section through the feed control valve and its casing.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the gripper device shown in Figs. 1 and 2, on a larger scale.

Fig. 5 is a rear *iew of the gripper device.i. e., from the left of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the pincer members of the grippers, detached.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the gripper device, open, with a sheet or plate edge be tween its jaws; and

Fig. 8 is a similar view of the device ti ghtened upon the sheet to grip it securely.

The shearing and expanding machine here illustrated has a shearing and expanding mechanism 10 comprising a fixed shearing edge or knife 11. mounted in the rear corner of a horizontal feed table 12 adjacent said mechanism, and a ver tically movable series of shearing; knives 13, mounted at the lower front corner of a movable press head 14. At the far side of the table 12 from the mechanism 10 are feed ways 15 adapted to cooperate with the table in supporting, the sheet material operated on,these ways being attached to bracl ets 16 on the table at their forward ends, and to the supporting framework 17 of the motor feed mechanism 20 at their rear ends.

Serial No. 432,570.

The mechanism 20 is adapted to engage the sheet material P at its rear edge and advance it to the mechanism 10 over the supporting; means 15, 12.

T he motor feed mechanism 20 comprises a gripping device or set of grippers 21., by means of which the sheet if may be gripped at suitably separated points of its rear edge, and a fluid motor including a pressure cylinder 22 with a double acting piston therein which is connected by a piston-rod 24: to the head or yoke 25 that carries the grippers 21, 21. Motive fluid under pressure is supplied to the cylinder 22 under control of a rotary plug valve 26 with a manual operating lever 27. This valve 26 is mounted in a casing 28 h aving at opposite sides connections 29, 29 to the opposite ends of the cylinder 22, and having fluid supply and exhaust connections 30, 31 above and beneath. In the valve body 26 are ports 32, 82 so arranged that with the valve in the position shown (Fig. 8), the fluid is admitted to the left-hand end of the cylinder 22 and exhausted from. the righthand end, to advance the plate P across the feed table 12 to the mechanism 10. When the valve 26 is in a position 90 counterclockwise from the position shown, the admission and exhaust of fluid and the consequent actuation of the grippers 21 is reversed to retract them; while with the valve in a middle position, both ends of the cylinder 22 are cut off from admission and exhaust, so that the piston 23 and the grippers are virtually locked in position by the liquid thus imprisoned.

Referring, now, to Figs. 4; to 8, it will be seen that each of the grippers 21 comprises a fixed pincer member 33 formed by the bent end of one of the yoke bars and a enacting movable pincer member 3a pivoted thereto at 35. The broad, flat gri 'ipina jaw of the movable member 34- has a shoulder 36 for engaging the rear edge of the plate P, by way of a stop to assure its occupying a definite position in the jaws. The rear ends of the pincers 3e are rigidly attached to a cross bar 37. On the yoke block 38 (into which the piston rod 24 is screwed fast) a locking hook 10 is pivoted at 4:1. as a means of securing the grippers 21 fast upon the sheet or plate P. The arc-shaped inner locking edge 12 of this hook 40 gradually diminishes in radius back. from its front end 4-3, so as to draw the grippers 21 tighter and tighter as it is pushed on over the bar 37. This variation is so relatively slight, however, that the friction of the edge 42 on the bar 87 suffices to hold it fast against s pping off. Since the locking device 40 draws on the transverse members 25, 37 that connect corresponding gripping jaws or ninrers S3, 34 of the two sets at an intermediate point in their length, the pincers will effectually grip the sheet P atcorrespondingly separated points.

it will he seen that the grippers QI rest directly on the ways 15, which thus serve to support the rear edge of the sheet P during its advanc -The feed mechanism operates simply and effectively and securely holds the sheet during the shearing operations, it being understood in this last regard that the recipro' eating member is also shiftable laterally back and forth traisversely of the table to shear the half-c iamonds from the blank in a manner well understood in this art. By the substitution of this mechanical feed Q find that I am enabled to greatly cut down the labor in whiclrconnection it will be seen that in manual operation the pushing forward of the long blank and holding it during shearing present considerable difiiculties and are exacting physically.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A motor feed mechanism for a sheet metal shearing and expanding machine comprising a head with separated grippers thereon for grasping the sheet at its following ed e; ways for supporting and guiding said grippers; and a motor cylinder with piston connected to said head to advance thesheet to the shearing and expanding mechanism of the machine.

A motor feed mechanism for a sheet metal shearing and Xpanding machine compr sing ahead carrying suitably separated sets of pivoted gripper members for grasping the sheet at its following edge, transverse members connecting corresponding" grippers the-sets; means for drawing; said transverse members together at an intermediate point in their length so as to cause the separated sets of grippers to grasp a sheet at corresponding points; and a motor for actuating; one of said transverse members to advance the sheet or retract the grippers.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

EDWARD 'r. BEDDING. 

